Oral health conceptual knowledge and its relationships with oral health outcomes: Findings from a Multi-site Health Literacy Study.

OBJECTIVES: In 2010, a health literacy instrument designed to measure oral health conceptual knowledge was introduced. This developmental work was limited in that it included a relatively small and homogeneous study population and few oral health measures against which to test concurrent validity. The purpose of the present investigation is to expand upon the earlier work by utilizing a larger study sample and additional outcome variables. METHODS: Data for this report came from the Multi-site Oral Health Literacy Research Study (MOHLRS), a large, cross-sectional survey conducted at two university-based dental clinics in the United States. MOHLRS included multiple assessments administered during face-to-face interviews. Conceptual knowledge was measured with the Comprehensive Measure of Oral Health Knowledge (CMOHK). Questions about self-efficacy, utilization, and dental beliefs and attitudes were also asked. Covariates included recruitment site, age, gender, race/ethnicity, education level, and languages spoken. RESULTS: Overall, 18% of 909 adult participants exhibited "low" conceptual knowledge. CMOHK scores were significantly associated with three health literacy instruments, the REALM, Short-test of functional health literacy in adults (TOFHLA), and confidence filling out forms. In both bivariate and multivariable analyses, CMOHK scores were also significantly associated with dental beliefs and attitudes and self-efficacy to prevent both dental caries and periodontal disease. CMOHK scores were not associated with utilization, measured either as having a dental visit or a dental cleaning in the last year. CONCLUSIONS: The present investigation provides additional support for the CMOHK's validity. Researchers are encouraged to incorporate oral health conceptual knowledge into their theoretical frameworks, especially as it relates to beliefs and self-efficacy.

Did you know Medicare does not usually include a dental benefit? Findings from a multisite investigation of oral health literacy.

OBJECTIVES: Medicare does not usually include a dental benefit. Adults who are unaware of this fact risk unanticipated expenses after retirement. This report will explore the sociodemographic and oral health literacy determinants of this knowledge. METHODS: Data came from the Multi-Site Oral Health Literacy Research Study, a survey of patients presenting to two university dental clinics. Sociodemographic descriptors included age, sex, race/ethnicity, education level, and dental insurance status. Oral health literacy was measured by the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine and Dentistry (REALM-D). RESULTS: Only 34 percent of respondents knew the correct answer to the Medicare question. Knowledge was significantly associated with age, race/ethnicity, education level (bivariate only), and REALM-D score. CONCLUSIONS: Policymakers and those assisting in Medicare enrollment should ensure information regarding dental coverage is communicated in ways that individuals of varying literacy, language, and culture understand what is necessary to make appropriate decisions.

Assessing health literacy and oral health: preliminary results of a multi-site investigation.

OBJECTIVES: To introduce a multi-site assessment of oral health literacy and to describe preliminary analyses of the relationships between health literacy and selected oral health outcomes within the context of a comprehensive conceptual model. METHODS: Data for this analysis came from the Multi-Site Oral Health Literacy Research Study (MOHLRS), a federally funded investigation of health literacy and oral health. MOHLRS consisted of a broad survey, including several health literacy assessments, and measures of attitudes, knowledge, and other factors. The survey was administered to 922 initial care-seeking adult patients presenting to university-based dental clinics in California and Maryland. For this descriptive analysis, confidence filling out forms, word recognition, and reading comprehension comprised the health literacy assessments. Dental visits, oral health functioning, and dental self-efficacy were the outcomes. RESULTS: Overall, up to 21% of participants reported having difficulties with practical health literacy tasks. After controlling for sociodemographic confounders, no health literacy assessment was associated with dental visits or dental caries self-efficacy. However, confidence filling out forms and word recognition were each associated with oral health functioning and periodontal disease self-efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis showed that dental school patients exhibit a range of health literacy abilities. It also revealed that the relationship between health literacy and oral health is not straightforward, depending on patient characteristics and the unique circumstances of the encounter. We anticipate future analyses of MOHLRS data will answer questions about the role that health literacy and various mediating factors play in explaining oral health disparities.

Knowledge of oral health issues among low-income Baltimore adults: a pilot study.

PURPOSE: This pilot study documents conceptual knowledge of oral health among low-income adults in Baltimore. METHODS: Selected questions from the Baltimore Health Literacy and Oral Health Knowledge Project, a cross-sectional, population-based investigation of oral health literacy, were used for this analysis. Participants were asked questions during face-to-face interviews about basic oral health and the prevention and management of dental caries and periodontal diseases. Descriptive analyses included tests of association with selected socio-demographic variables (age, sex, education level, annual household income). RESULTS: The majority of respondents were African American women, 45 to 64 years of age, with 12 years of education and an income less than or equal to $25,000. Ninety-one percent of respondents knew that sugar caused dental caries, while 82% understood that the best way to prevent tooth decay was to brush and floss every day. Knowledge of oral hygiene practices and the prevention and management of gingivitis and periodontitis was mixed. Seventy-six percent understood that the best way to remove tartar was by a dental cleaning. However, only 15% knew how often to floss their teeth and only 21% knew that plaque was composed of germs. CONCLUSION: Conceptual oral health knowledge is one component of oral health literacy. In turn, oral health literacy impacts communication. Practitioners should account for limited conceptual knowledge when they discuss oral health issues with their low-income and minority patients. If this is not accounted for, they will probably find that their oral hygiene education messages are being ignored and health promotion is being adversely affected.

Measuring conceptual health knowledge in the context of oral health literacy: preliminary results.

OBJECTIVES: Health literacy encompasses several abilities including word recognition, reading comprehension, communication skills, and conceptual knowledge. To date, conceptual knowledge has not been included in oral health literacy research. This study assesses the validity and reliability of a new instrument and describes conceptual oral health knowledge among a sample of low-income adults. METHODS: One hundred Baltimore adults were administered the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine (REALM), Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (Short-TOFHLA), and a new survey of conceptual oral health knowledge. Respondents were also asked about sociodemographics, dental health, and utilization. RESULTS: Psychometric analysis was used to identify a subset of oral health knowledge questions from the new survey instrument. The resulting Comprehensive Measure of Oral Health Knowledge (CMOHK) was categorized into three levels of knowledge (poor, fair, good). Nearly one-third of Baltimore adults exhibited the lowest level. CMOHK scores were significantly associated with age, education level, and word recognition (REALM). CMOHK scores were not associated with reading comprehension (Short-TOFHLA) or dental care visits. Instrument reliability was good (Cronbach alpha = 0.74). CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary study yielded a new measure of oral health conceptual knowledge, available for use in future oral health literacy studies. The author presents a conceptual framework of oral health literacy that separates health literacy into four unique components and places decision-making at the center. Future studies are needed to determine whether this framework is supported by empirical data and leads to improvements in oral health and reductions in health disparities.